Hershey (AHL) and South Carolina (ECHL) 2014-15 Season

[Ajax1995]

Wish Burakovsky was playing in those. That is where he needs to be right now IMO...

 

[hb12xchamps]

I hate the AHL having to be cheap on travel.

No only that, but Hershey always schedules something at Giant Center during Calder Cup playoff time.

Here's a list of their events:

04/24/15 Bill Gaither
05/02/15 Florida Georgia Line
05/04/15 Daryl Hall & John Oates

Hopefully the FGL concert doesn't negatively affect the ice if they make it to game 5

 

[hb12xchamps]

Wish Burakovsky was playing in those. That is where he needs to be right now IMO...

Would love to have Bura down here. He would make the team so dangerous with Vrana already providing a spark.

BTW, Here were the lines when they clinched the division on Friday (Most likely the playoff lines)

Conner-Kennedy-Galiev
Vrana-J.O'Brien-Wellman
Gazely-Newbury-Brown
L.O'Brien-Broda/Stephenson-Mitchell

If Bura is sent down I can see Gazely or Brown sliding to the 4th line and O'Brien coming out of the lineup. O'Brien hasn't been great IMO and really needs to try to stop fighting heavyweights because he always loses.

The D pairs have been constantly changing with the only solidified top pair being Schilling-Oleksy. Mann has some tough decisions to make about playing time on the back end, because Landry and Kundratek had solid games Saturday night and haven't played for about a month. Any other Bears fans think Mann's mancrush on Burgdoerfer is the only reason he is seeing ice time over Landry and Kundratek? Landry has been pretty solid all year, and his +/- indicates that.

 

[RandyHolt]

I think it would be nice if the big clubs ponied up the funds to let the AHL teams fly as needed in the playoffs.

 

[hb12xchamps]

I think it would be nice if the big clubs ponied up the funds to let the AHL teams fly as needed in the playoffs.

I don't think Hershey has a problem with the funding. They have led the league in attendance for the 9th straight season. They just announced a $4.7 arena upgrade that included a new HD scoreboard, LED ribbon fascia, LED standings board, and HD camera equipment. The Hershey Corporation has a LOT of money

 

[Lurch]

Indeed, Hershey will spend the money when it needs to to make the club better and improve the fan experience. Mr. Yingst knows that the new board is the right thing to do even though it will never generate enough ad revenue to offset the cost. However, this wouldn't have happened if Lehigh Valley didn't open up their arena with all the cool toys. Can't have the neighbor next door looking better than we do!

I wouldn't hold your breath hoping for the Caps to pay for anything, particularly travel. They are not what one would consider overly generous to their AHL affiliate as compared to other teams. The crazy costs they pass to to Hershey would make you shake your head.

I bet Hershey would pay travel costs for their squad, it is the other teams expenses that would come into play.

 

[Rumblick]

Indeed, Hershey will spend the money when it needs to to make the club better and improve the fan experience. Mr. Yingst knows that the new board is the right thing to do even though it will never generate enough ad revenue to offset the cost.

I'm confused. When anyone from the team was asked why there was no plan for a new scoreboard earlier this season, all we heard was "We don't own the building - we have no say in the matter." They couldn't wait to bail on responsibility. However, now that a new board is coming, it was all their idea??

 

[Lurch]

I'm confused. When anyone from the team was asked why there was no plan for a new scoreboard earlier this season, all we heard was "We don't own the building - we have no say in the matter." They couldn't wait to bail on responsibility. However, now that a new board is coming, it was all their idea??

Bears management and the Board of Directors came to a few conclusions:

1) Derry Township was not going to do it.
2) Ad revenue would not offset the cost directly.
3) Old equipment was close to failing (only one processor, only two video outputs, screen format incorrect size, no HD, and spare parts are currently being stockpiled as they are no longer produced for this model parts have recently been purchased from eBay if you can believe it).
4) ESPN and other news require HD feeds so for news worthy items to submit to the media, we had to rely on others for the feed (Local TV, Visiting team HD camera, etc.)
5) As the number one franchise in the AHL, they really needed to correct these issues and going forward as-is was not an option.

I have had several conversations with Mr. Yingst about this. He has been pushing his board for years to do this. Things have only recently come to a head and while RFPs were out there for a while, this decision was only made a few weeks ago. There are still concerns over the timing of the install (the last hold up), but they have recently been suitably accounted for.

Pushing this project through in light of all the resistance was quite an accomplishment for Doug.

 

[hb12xchamps]

Bears management and the Board of Directors came to a few conclusions:

1) Derry Township was not going to do it.
2) Ad revenue would not offset the cost directly.
3) Old equipment was close to failing (only one processor, only two video outputs, screen format incorrect size, no HD, and spare parts are currently being stockpiled as they are no longer produced for this model parts have recently been purchased from eBay if you can believe it).
4) ESPN and other news require HD feeds so for news worthy items to submit to the media, we had to rely on others for the feed (Local TV, Visiting team HD camera, etc.)
5) As the number one franchise in the AHL, they really needed to correct these issues and going forward as-is was not an option.

I have had several conversations with Mr. Yingst about this. He has been pushing his board for years to do this. Things have only recently come to a head and while RFPs were out there for a while, this decision was only made a few weeks ago. There are still concerns over the timing of the install (the last hold up), but they have recently been suitably accounted for.

Pushing this project through in light of all the resistance was quite an accomplishment for Doug.

I'm glad they finally did do it because like you noted, it was long overdue. I have been to LV this year and the fan experience of the HD board and fascia adds to the excitement of the arena. It was kind of embarrassing that the number one AHL franchise that leads the league in attendance for years didn't have the same features.

 

[Lurch]

The ten member Season ticket advisory board met with Doug a couple of months ago and LV having one and Hershey not had him agitated to say the least. I made sure to let him know that Penn State also had state of the art video lol.

 

[Corby78]

Game one tonight, Go Bears!

Edit: Copley the difference getting outshot 40-20

 

[Corby78]

Come on bears capitalize on this late 5 minute major

 

[Cush]

4-1 Bears

 

[hb12xchamps]

Hershey won 3-1 last night to take a 2-0 series lead over Worcester. They play Wednesday night for the series sweep and their first playoff series win in 5 years

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Go Bears. Vrana looking good?

 

[hb12xchamps]

Go Bears. Vrana looking good?

Vrana is awesome. He is going to be a very good player. It takes a special kind of talent to come over to the small ice and start contributing and getting a lot of ice time in under a week. I'm excited to see him in person again on Wednesday

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Go Bears!

 

[Rumblick]

Nice to see 7 goals from 7 different players, and also to see Copley stepping up his game with Gruby in DC. Looking forward to Wednesday night.

 

[hb12xchamps]

Copely getting the nod for game 3 after a solid effort in games 1 & 2. Grubauer will most likely get the nod next series or the next game if the Bears lose tonight

 

[Corby78]

Hershey won 3-1 last night to take a 2-0 series lead over Worcester. They play Wednesday night for the series sweep and their first playoff series win in 5 years

This is sooo hard to believe.

I wish with NBC taking the NHL games, the NHL channel would pick up some AHL games.

 

[Rumblick]

You might possibly see that in the Final, but never during the early rounds. NBC has the rights, and my guess is they supercede anything the NHL Network can do.


Game 4 tonight - this team better put forth a WHOLE LOT more than they did Wednesday. When you've got the other team in the casket, you've got to remember to close the lid.

 

[Jacoby4HOF66]

 

[CapsJunkie]

NASTY!!! Thanks wethog

 

[Cush]

Hershey up 10-2. Vrana is 1+2

 

[Jacoby4HOF66]